Roberta Hodel: Anyone and everyone can learn maths

When Roberta Hodel talks about maths, her eyes light up. She gestures with both hands, snaps her fingers and draws a coordinate system in the air: ‘Everything is maths,’ says the university lecturer. ‘Whether it's a maths problem or the grammar of a language, these are all structures and rules that you can recognise and learn,’ says Hodel. Recognising these structures or patterns has always been easy for her. Even as a child, she had great fun doing maths: ‘It was like an addiction for me. I did lots of tasks, rearranged formulae and it was always satisfying to see: Oh, something's coming up,’ she remembers.

Hodel grew up as the daughter of German parents in Reșița (German: Reschitz), Romania. In the communist system, great value was placed on diligence and performance. At some point, rearranging formulas felt ‘like Tetris’, says Hodel today. But during an exam, it became clear that this was not enough for her. She didn't just want to do the maths, she wanted to really understand why she was using a certain method - something her teacher had never explained in class. As a result, the A student sought out a private tutor: ‘I then said to her: I want to understand why this is the case. And that's how I got into theoretical maths in tenth grade, so to speak,’ she says.

Early support for a successful degree programme

This prior knowledge would serve Hodel well years later. She had initially started studying mechanical engineering in Romania, a mixture of her favourite subjects mathematics, physics and chemistry. After the collapse of the Eastern Bloc, the family emigrated to Germany, where Hodel finally decided to study maths at RWTH Aachen University. As a student assistant, she helped mechanical engineering students with their assignments and discovered her enthusiasm for teaching.

However, her path from university initially led her into the private sector, where she worked as a project manager until the birth of her two children. However, as her employer refused to allow her to work flexibly from home when she returned, she left the company after her parental leave and started a job as a substitute teacher at a vocational school, where she taught maths to future mechanical and electrical engineering students.

She realised that the students would have difficulties later on in their studies despite having a vocational high school diploma (Fachabitur): ‘Fortunately, I then came across StartGut at the H-BRS,’ recalls Hodel. The project was specifically aimed at students who were at an increased risk of dropping out of university due to their educational background. From then on, Hodel prepared them for their studies at what is now the Department of Engineering and Communication (IWK) in preliminary courses.

Hodel is convinced that, in principle, anyone can learn maths. However, it is crucial that the content is taught in such a way that it can be understood: ‘We all learn very differently. It used to annoy me when someone said ‘You don't have to explain this, it's trivial’. That's not true. For example, I can't remember anyone ever explaining to me that you read a coordinate system from left to right. But this is important and you should understand that nothing can be taken for granted,’ says Hodel.

It's all about trust

Following the example of the Department of Natural Sciences, StartGut gave rise to the IWK department's study workshop, where Hodel still supports students today - and not just in maths: ‘Maths is a tool that you need in many subjects. Once you have understood the theory, the other content becomes much easier,’ says the university lecturer.

But it's not just technical matters that can be discussed in the study workshop: ‘I want to convey to the students that they can trust me. It's important that you feel comfortable where you work or study. I want to contribute to this. That's why I'm also involved as a confidant and in equal opportunities in the department,’ says Hodel.

In addition to providing interdisciplinary support and working as a liaison officer and deputy equal opportunities officer, Hodel has been a lecturer for special tasks for the subjects of electrical engineering and sustainable engineering sciences since 2022. Here, too, she is keen to pass on her own enthusiasm for mathematics: ‘I think that the students realise that I put my whole heart into it and that I really want them to progress and succeed in their studies,’ she says.

Text: Pascal Schröder